Portable control set for machine tools and hoisting or lifting apparatus



July 18, 1950 c. w. BERTHlEZ PORTABLE CONTROL SET FOR MACHINE TOOLS ANDHOISTING 0R 1.1mm; APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 11, 1945Cmflcs WiHiamBev-Thiez )NVENTOR July 18, 1950 c. w. BERTHIEZ 2,516,043

- PORTABLE CONTROL SET FOR momma TOOLS AND HOISTING 0R LIF TINGAPPARATUS Filed April 11, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ChaviesWiHinmBafihiez B\NVENTOR LL H15 Afi q July 18, 1950 c. w. BERTHIEZ 2,515,043

PORTABLE CONTROL SET FOR MACHINE TOOLS AND HOISTING 0R 1.1mm; APPARATUSFiled April 11, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Hi6 Arform Patented July 18, 1950UNITED PORTABLE CONTROL TOOLS AND HOISTING OR LIFTING AP- PARATUS SETFOR MACHINE Charles William Berthiez, Paris, France Application April11, 1945, Serial No. 587,778 In France December 15, 1943 Section 1,Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires December 15, 1963 6Claims.

Remote control devices are already known for controlling from a distancethe motions of certain movable members of a machine or apparatus.However, devices used heretofore are either for stationary mounting or,where they can be transported, their structure is more or less intricateso that they cannot be conveniently held in hand by the worker.Moreover, such devices for the remote control are not constructed tocarr accessory parts for illumination or other purpose permitting theoperation being performed to be facilitated or accelerated.

The present invention has for its primary object to provide a newportable set for the remote control of various machines and apparatus,this set being specially conceived for being conveniently held in handby the worker while possessing great operational flexibility and acapacity to be well adapted to the instinctive reactions of the workerwhenever any manipulation or adjustment is required of him.

Another object of the invention is to provide a remote control set asaforesaid comprising a handle similar in shape to a revolver butt so asto be very easily grasped by the workers hand, said handle carrying amanually operable lever, conveniently in the form of a guard-protectedtrigger, so positively connected to regulating means for the machinepart to be controlled as to vary a function related to the motion ofsaid machine part upon varying operation of the lever.

A further object of the invention is to provide a remote control set ofportable nature as aforesaid also comprising a lighting devicepreferably of adjustable orientation permitting a beam of 7 light to bethrown at will by the worker towards the spot where the work is to becarried out.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a portable controlset as aforesaid wherein, by the mere actuation of a trigger or similarrockable lever, regulating means ma be so controlled at will as tosecure the proper operating conditions of an electric motor driving themovable machine part the operation of which is required to be modifiedto suit certain requirements.

With these and such other objects in view as will incidentally appearhereafter, the invention comprises the novel construction andcombination of parts that will now be described more in detail withreference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings exemplifyingsuitable embodiments of the same and forming a part of the presentdisclosure.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a portable control set according to theinvention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of this set.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the trigger used in the set and acontrol resistance or rheostat associated therewith.

Fig. 4 is a diagram of a circuit showing the use of this rheostat.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a switch by which the speeds of theaforesaid motor may be con-. trolled, the said switch being in turncontrolled by the trigger of said portable set.

Figs. 6 to 9 are views illustrating several constructional modificationsof portions of portable control sets according to the invention. I

As will be seen from the drawings, the portable set for remote controlshown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a body I provided with a handle 2similar to a revelver butt and permitting this portable set to beconveniently grasped by the workers hand. A push-button switch case 3connected to the body I of the set comprises a starting push-buttonswitch and a stopping push button switch for operating the motor or themechanism which controls the movable part of the machine to be adjustedor controlled. Inside the body I of the set is pivotall mounted acontrol trigger 4 by means of which the worker can effect, as will beseen hereafter, the several manipulations that are required. Thetrigger4 is protected by a guard 5 similar to a revolver guard. In the barrel 6of the portable set is arranged a regulator or a switch, such as areshown in. Figs. 3 and 5, adapted directly or indirectl to control thevariations of the motion of the movable member which requires to beadjusted or controlled (stroke, speed, etc). This regulator or switchand its operative connections with the movable member of the machine maybe of any type suitable for the type of machine to the control of whichthe present invention has reference, these connections themselves notbeing represented in the drawings since they per se do not form part ofthe invention.

At the tip end of the barrel extension 5 of the body I is provided alighting device I, Fig. 1, preferably movably supported thereon so as tobe crientable, which permits the worker locally to illuminate theworking Zone whilecontinuing, by pressing his finger on the trigger t,to control the variations of the motion being performed. The lightingdevice may be of the type having a para bolic reflector or of any othersuitable type.

Owing to this particular combination of the lighting device I andcontrol triggers, a great facility and rapidity of manipulation andadjustment is achieved since the operator canproceed with suchoperations from the very spot where his observation of the work takesplace and such observation is at the same time facilitated by thelighting device.

In Fig. 2 is shown in section and in detail how the regulator may bepositively controlled by means of the trigger 4. To that end, thepivotal pin on which th trigger 4 is mounted for rocking motion withrespect to the body I of the set carries a toothed sector 8 having bevelteeth and meshing with a bevel pinion 9 mounted on a stub shaft whichalso carries a cam it] which acts upon the controlled or movable memberof the regulator (not shown in Fig. 2). A spring H acts as a returnspring for the trigger 4.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the progressive action of thefinger on the trigger 4 causes rotation of the cam l and consequently aprogressive variation of the selected function being controlled. The camoutline ma be so selected as to cause the sensitiveness of the device tovary as the trigger is moved to a greater or less degree, therebyenabling the accuracy of the manual adjustment to be enhanced over apreferred range of the particular functional values.

In Figs. 3 and 4 is shown by way of example how the invention may beapplied for regulating the speed of a member of a machine operated by anelectric motor whose speed may be varied by influencing its field. Inthis case, the motor l2 which may be connected to the member to bedriven includes as usual an exciting winding 23 Whose circuit comprisesa rheostat i l by means of which the field excitation may be varied, i.e. the speed of the motor and consequently the speed of the controlledmember may be varied.

In accordance with this embodiment of the invention, as shown in Fig. 3,the rheostat is may be arranged in the barre-l 6, Fig. 1, of theportable control set (instead of the cam H3 and regulator to whichreference was made when describing Figs. 1 and 2).

The rheostat i4 is constituted for example (as will be seen from Fig. 3)by an annularly wound winding [5 on which a revoluble contact arm 1carried on spindle 2| may be moved, this arm being actuated (as the camit! in the preceding embodiment) by the trigger 4 and the two bevelpinions 8 and 9.

It should be observed that the motor [2 might also be the excitinggenerator of a Leonard group. Likewise the excitation of the generatingunit itself in a Leonard group might be acted upon.

In these diiferent applications, the speed of the driven member of themachine controlled may be r spindle 2| carrying the revoluble wiper 22of the switch is rigidly connected with the pinion 9 which, as abovedescribed, is operated by the trigger 4.

In the event that several speeds are required to be regulated, theswitch 20 enables the controlling circuits, four in this example, to beclosed sequentially, these circuits controlling in turn, for example,four circuits for diiferent fractions of the exciting circuit of aLeonard group.

In Figs. 6 to 9 are shown several modifications of the operativeconnection between the trigger 4 of the portable control set of theinvention and the cam or other control member for the motion whichrequires to be controlled or adjusted, the said operative connectiontaking the place of the bevel pinions 8 and 9 of the form shown in Fig.2.

The transmission can be accomplished for example (as shown in Fig. 6),by means of a steep pitch screw 33. Any stress exerted lengthwise onthis screw in either direction through the intermediary of the link 34pivoted to the trigger 4, causes the cam ID (or an other suitablecontrol or regulation member such as a, rheostat, a switch, etc. asdescribed in the foregoing examples) to be rotated. A ball bearing 35may be interposed if required between the hub of the cam l0 and itssupporting bracket in the bod I of the portable control set.

The transmission can also be accomplished (as shown by Fig. 7) by meansof a lever and link system 36-41, the links 31 being, for example,articulated to lever 36 and trigger 4 to provide a flexible connection.The lever 36 is operatively connected by a hub to a shaft 2| on which ismounted the cam ID or any other controlling member (see Figs. 2, 3 and 5above).

Where the rotational axes of the trigger 4 and controlling member (cam,rheostat, commutator, etc.) are arranged parallel, one of the types oftransmissions represented in Figs. 8 and 9, name- 1y spur pinions 38-49or lever system 40-4l may be used.

Any other transmission might be adopted, for example one using helicalgears replacing the bevel pinions 8, 9 of the form shown in Fig. 2.

It will be seen from the foregoing that numerous advantages can begained from the use of the above-described portable control set of whichseveral possible constructional forms are set forth above. The use ofthis set primarily gives a greater flexibility of manipulation and agreater facilit to the worker for effecting, from the position where hemay operate to best advantage, all controls and adjustments which may berequired, namely starting and stopping, stroke, speed or otheradjustment of the operation, such adjustment being one consistent withthe motion of the movable member which requires to be remotely adjustedor controlled. Due to this arrangement, the worker is in a position tocarry out himself all manipulations that he may deem fit withoutrequiring the help of an assistant, that is to say, with the utmostspeed and accuracy. Speed and accuracy are still further increased dueto the provision of the powerful illumination which is projected by thelamp of the set toward the position occupied by the workpiece or site ofthe operation. The workers action is also facilitated due to the factthat he has a full grasp of his portable control set without beingdisturbed in any manner.

The control set according to the invention lends itself to miscellaneoususes, particularly in connection with the control of machine tools andhoisting or lifting equipment and more generally wherever a movablemember belonging to any 'machine or apparatus requires to be controlledfrom a distance.

The above-described devices are given merely by way of examples. Otherconstructional forms of the invention might be easily conceived.Moreover, the devices as described and shown might receive minorconstructional modifications without departing from the ambit of theinvention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a portable controller for remote control of the operation of amachine, in combination, a hollow body formed with a depending portionadapted to be grasped by the hand, an electric control device arrangedwithin said hollow body and having a member movable to differentpositions in the controlling operation of said device, said controldevice being adapted to be operatively connected to means for operatingsaid machine to determine for each position a condition of operation ofsaid machine, a spindle supported by said body for rotation thereof onits axis and operatively connected with said movable member of thecontrol device, a trigger supported by said body for continuous movementrelative thereto from an inoperative position and having a portionprojecting out of said body positioned to be actuated by the fore fingerof the hand grasping said depending portion of said body, bias means forurging said trigger to its inoperative position, and means providing apositive connection between said trigger and said spindle capable ofproducing uninterrupted rotational movement of said spindle forwardlyand reversely respectively upon continuous movement of said trigger toand fro when actuated by the fore finger of the hand.

2. In a portable controller for remote control of the operation of amachine, the combination defined in claim 1 and in which the electriccontrol device arranged within said hollow body is a rotary rheostat.

3. In a portable controller for remote control of the operation of amachine, the combination defined in claim 1 and in which the electriccontrol device arranged within said hollow body is a rotary switch.

4. In a portable controller for remote control of the operation of amachine, the combination defined in claim 1 and in which a protectivememher is arranged about said portion of said trigger projecting out ofsaid body, a predetermined distance being left between said protectivemember and said portion of said trigger so as to leave room for theinsertion of the fore finger of the hand grasping said depending portionof said body.

5. In a portable controller for remote control of the operation of amachine, the combination with a control device having a member movableto different positions in the controlling operation of said device, saidcontrol device being capable of controlling the operation of saidmachine when connected thereto upon operation of said device and movesaid member thereof to different positions to determine for eachposition a condition of operation of said machine, of a body supportingsaid control device and formed with a portion adapted to be grasped byone hand, an element supported for pivotal movement thereof on said bodyand adapted to be actuated by a finger of said hand which grasps saidportion of said body, a spindle supported by said body for rotationthereof on its axis, means providing a continuously operative kinematicconnection between said pivoted element and said spindle capable ofproducing uninterrupted rotational movement of said spindle forwardlyand reversely respectively upon continuous pivotal movement of saidelement from a retracted position to an advanced position and return tosaid retracted position when actuated by said finger of said hand andfor arresting rotation of said spindle when said finger arrests movementof said element, and means operatively connecting said spindle to saidmember of said control device for effecting movement of said member todifferent machine controlling positions and for arresting movement ofsaid member in any position to determine the operation of said machineupon forward movement of said pivoted element from said retractedposition and arresting thereof in a corresponding forward position.

6. In a controller for control of the operation of a machine, incombination, a body formed with a depending portion adapted to begrasped by the hand, a control device supported by said body and havinga member movable to diiferent positions in the controlling operation ofsaid device, said control device being adapted to be operativelyconnected to means for operating said machine to determine for eachposition a condition of operation of said machine, a spindle supportedby said body for rotation thereof on its axis and operatively connectedwith said movable member of the control device for effecting movement ofsaid member forwardly and reversely to and from said different positionsupon forward and reverse rotation of said spindle, an element adapted tobe actuated by a finger of said hand which grasps said depending portionof said body and supported by said body for movement relative theretofrom an inoperative position and return thereto, bias means for urgingsaid element to said inoperative position, and means providing apositive connection between said element and said spindle capable ofproducing uninterrupted rotational movement of said spindle forwardlyand reversely respectively upon continuous movement of said element toand fro when actuated by the finger of the hand.

CHARLES WILLIAM BERTHIEZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 652,941 Whitney July 3, 1900911,139 Luense Feb. 2, 1909 1,017,150 Holme Feb. 13, 1912 1,681,214Blair Aug. 21, 1928 1,767,146 Lee June 24, 1930 1,827,372 Riddell Oct.13, 1931 2,082,256 Netschke June 1, 1937 2,290,250 Russell July 21, 19422,350,680 Heintz June 6, 1944 2,381,077 Obszarny Aug. 7, 1945 2,390,846Obszarny Dec. 11, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 18,398Germany Nov. 29, 1881 616,141 France Oct. 25, 1926

